1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, and more particularly to a mobile terminal and method for searching for a telephone number and performing a function using the detected telephone number.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, mobile terminals can store a plurality of telephone numbers and have a function to search for and display a stored telephone number according to a keyword inputted by a user.
A common method for searching for a telephone number stored in a mobile terminal is to select a menu for a telephone number search, input a keyword for the telephone number that the user wishes to find and then to press a search key. The mobile terminal then displays one or more telephone numbers which meet the search criterion of the inputted keyword. For example, after selecting the menu for telephone number search, the user may input the last four digits of a telephone number to be detected and presses the search key. Then the mobile terminal then searches for a telephone number or numbers having the same last four digits as those which were entered by the user and displays the detected telephone numbers so that the user can select the desired telephone number. Likewise, a user can perform a telephone number search using a keyword such as a name of a desired entity (e.g., a person, business, etc.) by inputting characters contained in the name of the entity and then perform the search for detecting the desired telephone number. When the user inputs an initial character of the name and presses the search key, the mobile terminal searches for and displays names having the same initial character and the corresponding telephone numbers.
However, these and other conventional methods require the multiple steps of selecting a menu for a telephone number search, inputting a keyword of an entity whose telephone number is desired to be detected and then pressing the search key to perform the search. Since many mobile terminals produced by different manufacturers have individualized and mobile terminal specific menus and/or keys, users often times must learn, or become accustomed to a specific mobile terminal's keys before being able perform a search for a telephone number or numbers, which can inconvenience the user.
Many users search for a certain telephone number or numbers on their mobile terminals because they do not or cannot remember the desired number or numbers. In most cases, users search for a telephone number in order to implement a function using the telephone number, e.g. the user may wish to use the number to make a phone call, to send a text message or to edit the telephone number. Conventional mobile terminals can merely search for and display a telephone number, without displaying functions directly available using the detected telephone number.
Before selecting a menu for performing a desired function, the user has to memorize for later use the telephone number detected in the telephone number search mode and terminate the search mode. It is troublesome and inconvenient for the user to select the search mode and then the menu for available functions.